Display indicators such as on-screen cursors are well known and understood in the art. Such indicators serve to highlight an on-screen element or otherwise identify a screen area where additional actions are intended. Such display indicators are usually manipulated by a mouse, touchpad, arrow keys, trackball and the like. Such devices also usually have one or more control surfaces that can be asserted to thereby provide a selection signal that corresponds to the present display indicator position (such functionality is usually referred to as a “click” and often includes both a so-called “left click” and a “right click”).
Unfortunately, not all potential users are able to usefully (or easily) manipulate such display indicator devices. For example, some potential users have physical infirmities (including partially or wholly missing or less than fully functional digits or limbs) that preclude full use of such devices. To meet this need, biometrics have been suggested as a way to facilitate user control of a display indicator. While existing biometric solutions have provided a satisfactory interface for some users, however, problems remain. For example, many biometric solutions are not suitable for all such potential users. And even when conceptually suitable, many such solutions are unduly complicated and too expensive for many potential users (for example, many biometric solutions seeking to provide X-Y control of a display indicator requires at least four separate biometric sensors). Beyond this, many prior art biometric solutions lack portability and further often require a significant amount of user training.
Consequently, a need still exists for a biometric solution to display indicator control that avoids at least some of these problems.